Japan: Country and Program Overview

Adoption from Japan by United States citizens is not common due to the Japanese adoption rules and regulations. The Japanese Court will not consider adoption petitions by prospective parents who are in Japan on temporary visitor visas. At least one prospective parent must show evidence of long-term residence in Japan in order to adopt a child from Japan. When the adoption is finalized, at least one adoptive parent must appear before the court. Japanese law does not permit proxy adoptions.

Although costs can vary widely, the average total cost of adoption in Japan is approximately $40,000 - $60,000. This includes fees for the U.S. Agency fees, Family Court, Japanese Adoption Agency, immigration processing, airfare, lodging, and document translations and authentications.